Device for treatment of patients with disturbed posture and motor activity

Abstract

A device for treatment of patients with disturbed posture and motor activity comprises shoulder, pelvic, knee, pedal, elbow, hand, and finger supports ( 1 ), all of them being interconnected by fixing elements, which are shaped as elastic tie-members ( 2 ) and placed on the surface of the patient's body in antagonistic pairs so as to follow anatomical arrangement of skeletal muscles. Each of the tie-members ( 2 ) is connected to two of the supports ( 1 ) and comprises an adjuster ( 3 ) of its tension, which is interposed between the tie-member ( 2 ) and one of the supports ( 1 ) through a lock ( 5 ).

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method for treating patients with disturbed posture and motor activity, said method comprising: 
       placing the patient within a device that includes supports located in a region of the patient's shoulders, elbows, hands, fingers, waist, knees, and feet, the device also including elastic tie-members interconnecting the supports, each shoulder support defining a cup-shaped shoulder harness, the device also including and a plurality of adjusters, each adjuster from the plurality of adjusters interposed between one of the elastic tie-members and one of the supports, wherein each of the adjusters is a band having a first end connected to the respective elastic tie-member and a second end held in a lock located on the respective support;  
       positioning the shoulder supports to substantially cover the patient's shoulders;  
       locating the elastic tie-members on body surfaces of the patient in antagonistic pairs with due account of an anatomical arrangement of the patient's skeletal muscles.  
     
     
       2. The method of claim  1 , further comprising 
       tensioning the tie-members via an adjuster until a new position of the patient's trunk and limbs is established which approximates the normal physiological position.  
     
     
       3. The method of claim  1 , further comprising: 
       tensioning the tie-members via an adjuster until a new position of the patient's trunk and limbs is established which approximates the normal physiological position, the adjuster having one end connected to the tie-member and other end connected to a lock that is fastened on one of the supports.  
     
     
       4. The method of claim  1 , further comprising: 
       performing movements of the patient's limbs with an amplitude close to the maximum amplitude for the patient.  
     
     
       5. The method of claim  1 , further comprising: 
       tensioning the tie-members associated with a given limb via an adjuster until a new position of the limb is established which approximates the normal physiological position of that limb;  
       performing a movement of the limb with an amplitude close to the maximum amplitude for the patient; and  
       increasing the tension of the tie-members associated with the limb until a load appears in the group of muscle corresponding to the movement.  
     
     
       6. The method of claim  1  further comprising: 
       moving the patient's limbs in accordance with a treatment plan.  
     
     
       7. A device for treatment of patients with disturbed posture and motor activity, said device comprising: 
       supports that, in an operative configuration, are located in a region of the patient's shoulders, elbows, hands, fingers, waist, knees, and feet, each of said supports that are located in the region of the patient's shoulders substantially covering the patient's shoulder and defining a cup-shaped shoulder harness;  
       elastic tie-members interconnecting said supports and that, in an operative configuration, are placed on a body surface of the patient in antagonistic pairs with due account of an anatomical arrangement of the patient's skeletal muscles; and  
       a plurality of adjusters interposed between the elastic tie-members and the respective supports wherein each adjuster from said plurality of adjusters is a band having a first end connected to the respective elastic tie-member and a second end held in a lock located on the respective support.  
     
     
       8. The device of claim  7 , wherein each of said supports that is positioned in the region of the patient's knee, in an operative configuration, is positioned to substantially cover the patient's knee. 
     
     
       9. The device of claim  7 , wherein each of said supports that is positioned in the region of the patient's knee, in an operative configuration, is positioned to substantially cover and closely surround the patient's knee. 
     
     
       10. The device of claim  7 , wherein each of said supports that is positioned in the region of the patient's elbow, in an operative configuration, is positioned to substantially cover the patient's elbow. 
     
     
       11. The device of claim  7 , wherein each of said supports that is positioned in the region of the patient's elbow, in an operative configuration, is positioned to substantially cover and closely surround the patient's elbow. 
     
     
       12. The device of claim  7 , wherein each of said supports that is positioned in the region of the patient's ankle, in an operative configuration, is positioned to closely surround the patient's ankle. 
     
     
       13. The device of claim  7 , wherein each of said supports that is positioned in the region of the patient's wrist, in an operative configuration, is positioned to closely surround the patient's wrist. 
     
     
       14. The device of claim  7 , wherein each of said supports that is positioned in the region of the patient's waist, in an operative configuration, is positioned to closely surround the patient's waist. 
     
     
       15. The device of claim  7 , wherein each of said supports that is positioned in the region of the patient's hand, in an operative configuration, is positioned to closely surround the patient's hand. 
     
     
       16. A device for treatment of patients with disturbed posture and motor activity, said device comprising: 
       supports that, in an operative configuration, substantially cover the patient's shoulders, elbows, hands, fingers, waist, knees, and feet, each of said shoulder supports defining a cup-shaped shoulder harness;  
       a plurality of elastic tie-members that interconnect said supports, each tie-member from said plurality of tie members interconnecting two of said supports, and, in an operative configuration, said plurality of tie-members are placed on a body surface of the patient in antagonistic pairs with due account of an anatomical arrangement of the patient's skeletal muscles; and  
       a plurality of adjusters interposed between the elastic tie-members and the respective supports, each adjuster from said plurality of adjusters including a band having a first end connected to the respective elastic tie-member and a second end held in a lock located on the respective support.  
     
     
       17. The device of claim  16 , wherein said supports, in an operative configuration, closely surround the patient's shoulders, elbows, hands, fingers, waist, knees, and feet.